Protective assembly for high-pressure fluid medium containers



Aug. 10, 1954 E. R. ZEEK ET AL 2,685,979

PROTECTIVE ASSEMBLY FOR HIGH-PRESSURE FLUID MEDIUM CONTAINERS Filed Jan. 24, 1951 2 Sheets-Sheet l 1 N V EN TOR-S. Elfin 00d 1?. ZeeA By fifaz'ace .5; Baggy ATTORNEY Aug. 10, 1954 E. R. ZEEK ET AL 2,685,979

PROTECTIVE ASSEMBLY FOR HIGH-PRESSURE FLUID MEDIUM CONTAINERS Filed Jan. 24, 1 51 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 By Horace slfla'ag y AT TOR NEY Patented Aug. 10, 1954 PROTECTIVE ASSEMBLY FOR HIGH-PRES- SURE FLUID MEDIUM CONTAINERS Elwood R. Zeek, Paterson, N. J., and Horace S.

Daley, Jamaica,

N. Y., assignors to Specialties Development Corporation, Belleville, N. J., a corporation of New Jersey Application January 24, 1951, Serial No. 207,539

8 Claims. 1 a

The present invention relates to containers such as cylinders for storing fluid medium under relatively high pressure which are protected against ripping apart when pierced by a projectile, for example, in the manner disclosed in United States Letters Patent No. 2,370,677; and, more particularly, relates to an improved protective assembly for such containers.

In the aforementioned patent, a cylindrical container is disclosed which is constructed to withstand the highest working pressures at which the fluid medium may be confined therein under normal conditions of use, but which is inherently subject to ripping apart when pierced by a projectile or the like while so confining the medium. This contingency is guarded against by applying a winding on the cylindrical wall of the container which serves to minimize and localize the area of rupture of the container when pierced by a projectile. Heretofore, it has been customary to permanently secure this winding to the container.

However, various safety regulations require that high pressure medium containers be subjected to a pressure test periodically, for example, at least once every five years, to determine whether or not the containers are still in condition for safe use and capable of withstanding the highest working pressure at which the medium may be normally confined therein. This necessitates stripping the winding from the containers prior to testing the same, and reapplying a winding to the containers which pass the test. By reason of the manner in which the winding is secured, removal thereof from the container resulted in complete destruction of the winding and necessitated the application of a new winding. In most instances, the winding was difficult to remove without damaging the cylinder wall and considerable time was required to remove the same. This, together with the material and labor costs of the new winding, has made the pressure testing of wire-wound containers an objectionable and expensive operation.

Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to overcome the foregoing difiiculties and objections.

Another object is to eliminate the cost of strip-- Another object is to provide such an assembly which is simple and inexpensive in construction Other and further objects of the invention will be obvious upon an understanding of the illustrative embodiment about to be described, or will be indicated in the appended claims, and various advantages not referred to herein will occur to one skilled in the art upon employment of the invention in practice.

In accordance with the invention, the foregoing objects are accomplished by providing a protective assembly comprising a generally cylindrical tubular sheath or sleeve substantially coextensive with and adapted to be removably positioned on the cylindrical wall of the container, and a winding surrounding the sheath and secured thereto which is so formed and arranged to minimize and localize the area of ruptureof the container and to prevent ripping apart of the container when the wall thereof is pierced by a projectile.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a fragmentary elevational view of a container for high pressure fluid media having applied thereto a protective assembly in accordance with the present invention.

Figure 2 is a perspective view of the protective assembly illustrated apart from the container.

Figur 3 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional View taken along the line 33 on Figure 1, illustrating details thereof.

Figure 4 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view illustrating a cover member for the winding.

Figure 5 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view illustrating another form of covering for the winding.

Referring to the drawings in detail and more particularly to Figure 1 thereof, there is shown a conventional metallic container it for storing fluid medium under pressure such as compressed and/or liquefied normally gaseous materials. The container comprises a closed end I i, a cylindrical wall l2, and a neck or outlet spud i i opposite the closed end to which a discharge control device i5 is secured; This container is constructed of suitable material of a thickness to withstand a pressure higher than the normal operating pressure, and is in accordance with accepted standards of the Interstate Commerce Commission or other Government agencies. Such containers are generally referred to as high pressure gas cylinders.

As shown in Figure 1, a protective assembly 15 in accordance with the invention is removablti positioned on the cylindrical wall I? of the container and is substantially coextensiyetherewith. This assembly is illustrated in Figure 2 apart from the container, and, as shown, comprises a tubular generally cylindrical sheath or'sleeve 2. 3 and a winding 2! surrounding the sheath and secured thereto to provide a unitary structure.

The sheath may be constructed of any suitable material, such as metal or aplastic'composition and the like, and is of sufficient strength to support the winding thereon without collapsing. The sheath may be continuous, or may be split longitudinally at 22; as shown, tofacilitate formation thereof from sheet material. If desired, the sheath may be perforated to reduce the weight thereof.

Adjacent each end of the sheath at the interior thereof, an annular circumferentially extending recess or groove 24 is formed for supporting a gasket membersuclrasa rubber O-ring 25 which is adapted to engage thecylindrical wall 52 ofthe container to frictionally retain the assem ly thereon (Figure 3). The O-rings' also form a seal between thecontainer wall and a continuous sheath to exclude moistureand corrosive gases.

The sheath may further beprovided with means for anchoring the ends of the winding, for-example, as shown in Figures l, 2 and 3 by providing a tab or flange section 26 at each side of the split 22', each tab-havingan aperture or other suitable opening 21- into which the ends of the winding are mounted; Such anchoring means are particularly desirable'in-the event the winding is formed of metallicwireand facilitate hooking the ends of the-wire therein in a convenient manner as shown.

The winding 2| preferably comprises a plu rality of layers of material having a high tensile strength whereby-to minimize and localize the area of ruptured the container and to prevent ripping apart of the container when the wall thereof is pierced by a projectile. As already indicated herein and as disclosed in United States Letters Patent No. 2,370,677 the winding may be metallic wire such as steel piano wire.- Alter natively, the winding may be constructed of a filament type yarn such as: disclosed in the co pending joint application forLetters Patent of the United States of one of the applicants-herein, Serial No. 207,538, filed January 24', 1951.

In Figure 3, the winding is-illustrated'as being formed of piano wire and being covered with a coating of solder 2S whichser-ves to secure adjacent convolutions of the winding.

In Figure 4, a modified coveringfora wire or yarn winding 2-! is illustrated; In this embodiment, the sheath 20 is provided with a radial flange 38 (as shown in broken lines) at each end thereof, and: a split or continuous tubular. generally cylindrical sleeve 31- is positioned between the flanges to surround and enclose the winding. The flanges are then folded inwardly (as shown in full lines) to-over-lie-theends of the sleeve 3i and secure the-same in place. Inthis manner, the windingis sealed in and is protected against damage thereto in the normal use or handling of the container on the assembly prior will'not be ripped-from the winding by gas rushing outwardly from the container. If desired, the sleeve may be formed from screening or the like.

In Figure 5, the winding ii is illustrated as being formed offllament yarn, preferably of the typehaying high elongation. The yarn winding is sealed 'in or otherwise enclosed by a resilient or yieldable covering. Such a covering may be intheform of a thin rubber-like sleeve telescoped over the winding; or a. coating of a material forming a resilient or yieldable film which will not penetrate the yarn or'serveto bond adjacent convolutions or t% c ..dividuai filaments thereof; whereby the elonga ion of the yarn will not beimpaired. The covering also protects nylon yarn against deterioration due to sunlight by shielding the same therefrom. If desired, the coveringmay be formed of porous fabric adapted toall'ow gas to pass therethrough and thus prevent the same from being inflated or blown from the winding upon piercing of the container.

The present invention further contemplates: that the sheath 2% may be formed of metals, such as stainless steel, copper, copper alloys, aluminum, aluminum alloys and. the like which will burn rapidly when subjected to heat in the.

presence of oxygen and will fuse and oxidize rapidly to form a metallic oxide coating on the containers serving to prevent burning of the containers beyond the point at which the walls.

are pierced by a projectile. The sheath in this: manner accomplishes without further cost the advantages of the structure disclosed in United States Letters Patent No. 2,426,630.

The: protective assemblies described herein may be fabricated, in a simple and: convenient man ner. Preferably, the sheath 28 is positioned on a mandrel or other form, the mandrel is rotated to apply the winding, and the-cover member 3 i, if utilized; is secured to complete the unit. If a solder coating 29- or yieldable coating 32 is utilized, the same may be applied while the assembly is on the mandrel or after it has been re-- moved. therefrom. The gaskets 25 are inserted before or after forming the Winding.

This completed unitary assembly is then ready for-mounting ona container; which may be accomplished by forcing. the assembly over the container wall !2, preferably by means, of a press. When it is desired. to remove the, assembly from the container, the assembly is similarly moved in a longitudinal directionwithe respect to the container.

The inner diameter of the assembly may be so dimensioned with respect to outer diameterof'the container wall 12 that it slides rather freely thereon when the containeris empty, and that, when the container is filled and iii-subject ed to its normal working pressure, the expansion of the container produces a tight fit which.

' prevents accidental separation of the assembly wall and are under compression when the assembly is on the container to frictionally retain the assembly in position.

From the foregoing description, it will be seen that the present invention provides an improved non-shatterable container having a winding removably positioned thereon. The assembly providing the winding is simple annd economical in construction and is adapted to withstand such rough usage to which it may normally be subjected without impairing its efiectiveness in protecting the cylinder against ripping apart when pierced by a projectile.

As various changes may be made in the form, construction and arrangement of the parts herein, without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention and without sacrificing any of its advantages, it is to be understood that all matter herein is to be interpreted as illustrative and not in any limiting sense.

We claim:

1 In combination, a container for confining fluid medium under high pressure, said container being constructed of a unitary shell adapted to withstand the highest working pressure at which the fluid medium may be confined therein under normal conditions of use without further reinforcement, said shell having a cylindrical section inherently subject to ripping apart when pierced by a projectile the length of said cylindrical section being at least about as great as its diameter; and a unitary protective assembly mounted on and surrounding said cylindrical section comprising a generally cylindrical tubular sheath of a length substantially coextensive with the length of said cylindrical section having an open end receiving said container, said sheath being slidably positioned on and about said container and slidably removable therefrom, and a winding on the exterior of said sheath and secured thereto to facilitate its application to and removal from said container together with said sheath, said winding including a plurality of convolutions extending substantially from one end of said sheath to the other and arranged thereon to minimize and localize the area of rupture of said cylindrical section and to prevent ripping apart thereof when pierced by a projectile, said sheath serving to support said winding thereon and to resist collapse thereof due to forces of said winding acting thereon when said protective assembly is apart from said container.

2. An assembly according to claim 1, wherein said sheath has extensions at its open end provided with opening means for anchoring the ends of said winding.

3. An assembly according to claim 1, wherein said sheath has flanges at the ends thereof, a generally cylindrical tubular cover member positioned between said flanges surrounds said winding, and said flanges have portions positioned over the ends of said cover member to secure the same about said winding.

4. An assembly according to claim 3, wherein said cover member is perforated.

5. An assembly according to claim 1, wherein said sheath is provided with compressible means at the interior thereof for frictionally retaining the assembly on the container.

6. An assembly according to claim 1, wherein said sheath has an annular groove adjacent each end at the interior thereof, and a gasket member is positioned in each of said grooves for frictionally retaining the assembly on the container.

7. An assembly according to claim 1, wherein said sheath is formed of a metal which, when subjected to high temperature due to the shell section being pierced by a projectile, will fuse and oxidize rapidly to form a protective metallic oxide coating serving to prevent burning of the shell beyond the point at which said shell is pierced.

8. An assembly according to claim 1, wherein a yieldable sleeve is applied over said winding to cover the same.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,517,047 Burger Nov. 25, 1924 2,335,038 Bridges Nov. 23 1943 2,370,677 Mapes Mar. 6, 1945 2,507,778 Frey May 16, 1950 

